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Shell LNG carrier heads to Cove Point

An LNG carrier controlled by Shell is heading to Dominion Energy’s new Cove Point LNG terminal.

Global LNG flow forecaster iGIS/LNG flagged up the voyage of the 136,985-cbm Gemmata (built 2004), which is on course for the new facility to the south of Baltimore, Maryland.

Consultants said that the vessel is due to arrive on 18 February and may wait at or near the facility until it starts to produce its first export volumes.

Shell, which was awarded a contract by Dominion to supply 47,000-cbm of LNG for commissioning purposes, controls about one-third of the LNG capacity at Cove Point. BP and Statoil each hold similar stakes.

In its project update this month, Dominion said LNG production and commissioning is under way at the new plant.

The company said Shell is providing the natural gas for liquefaction during the commissioning process and will offtake the LNG that is produced.

All eyes have been on Cove Point since late last year when it was expected to begin producing LNG. It was originally built in the 1970s as an LNG import facility.

A cargo from Nigeria LNG was delivered to the new plant, but this is understood to have been regasified for import after a cold snap in the US.

Dominion has said that it expects to fire up Cove Point's production in early March.

The start-up of new US liquefaction facilities has been set back with Cove Point’s first exports running later than expected. Freeport LNG and Cameron LNG were also originally due to kick off production this year, but are not now expected to come online until 2019.

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Shell LNG carrier heads to Cove Point

An LNG carrier controlled by Shell is heading to Dominion Energy’s new Cove Point LNG terminal.

Global LNG flow forecaster iGIS/LNG flagged up the voyage of the 136,985-cbm Gemmata (built 2004), which is on course for the new facility to the south of Baltimore, Maryland.

Consultants said that the vessel is due to arrive on 18 February and may wait at or near the facility until it starts to produce its first export volumes.

Shell, which was awarded a contract by Dominion to supply 47,000-cbm of LNG for commissioning purposes, controls about one-third of the LNG capacity at Cove Point. BP and Statoil each hold similar stakes.

In its project update this month, Dominion said LNG production and commissioning is under way at the new plant.

The company said Shell is providing the natural gas for liquefaction during the commissioning process and will offtake the LNG that is produced.

All eyes have been on Cove Point since late last year when it was expected to begin producing LNG. It was originally built in the 1970s as an LNG import facility.

A cargo from Nigeria LNG was delivered to the new plant, but this is understood to have been regasified for import after a cold snap in the US.

Dominion has said that it expects to fire up Cove Point's production in early March.

The start-up of new US liquefaction facilities has been set back with Cove Point’s first exports running later than expected. Freeport LNG and Cameron LNG were also originally due to kick off production this year, but are not now expected to come online until 2019.